Application server component that notifies one or more communication devices of one or more invitations to join communication session

ABSTRACT

An application server component of an apparatus in one example receives an indication of one or more communication devices that are to receive one or more invitations to join a communication session. The application server component notifies the one or more communication devices of the one or more invitations to join the communication session. Upon acceptance of one or more of the one or more invitations by one or more of the one or more communication devices, the application server component connects the one or more of the one or more communication devices to the communication session.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application contains subject matter which is related to the subjectmatter of the following patent, which is assigned to the same assigneeas this application. The below listed patent is hereby incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety:

“APPLICATION SERVER COMPONENT NOTIFICATION TO ONE OR MORE COMMUNICATIONDEVICES OF ONE OF MORE OPEN COMMUNICATION SESSIONS,” by Florkey, et al.,U.S. Pat. No. 7,171,228, issued Jan. 30, 2007.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to communications and more particularlyto communication session invitations.

BACKGROUND

Users of communication devices desire to have the ability to conductcommunication sessions that involve a plurality of communicationdevices. The communication devices in one example comprise mobilephones, telephonic devices, and computers. The communication session inone example comprises a conference call. A first communication device inone example places a call to a second communication device. A callcontrol component connects the first communication device to the secondcommunication device. In one example, if a user of the secondcommunication device answers the call, then the user of the secondcommunication device enters into a conversation with a user of the firstcommunication device.

In another example, if the user of the second communication device isnot available to answer the call, then the user of the firstcommunication device accesses a voice mail account of the secondcommunication device. For example, the user of the first communicationdevice leaves a voice message that asks the user of the secondcommunication device to return the call at a later time. The user of thesecond communication device employs a communication device to access thevoice mail account. The voice message of the voice mail accountindicates that the user of the first communication device has requestedthat the user of the second communication device to return the call. Theuser of the second communication device may then call a phone number ofthe first communication device to talk to the user of the firstcommunication device.

As one shortcoming, the user of the second communication device isunaware of a request to return the call until the user of the secondcommunication device checks the voice message. The user of the secondcommunication device in one example may check the voice message once itis too late to return the call, for example, after the call has ended.As another shortcoming, it may take the user of the second communicationdevice a long time to check the voice message and dial the phone numberof the first communication device.

Thus, a need exists for a system that promotes an ease for acommunication device to join a communication session after receipt of aninvitation to join the communication session.

SUMMARY

The invention in one embodiment encompasses an apparatus. The apparatuscomprises an application server component that receives an indication ofone or more communication devices that are to receive one or moreinvitations to join a communication session. The application servercomponent notifies the one or more communication devices of the one ormore invitations to join the communication session. Upon acceptance ofone or more of the one or more invitations by one or more of the one ormore communication devices, the application server component connectsthe one or more of the one or more communication devices to thecommunication session.

Another embodiment of the invention encompasses a method. An indicationof one or more first communication devices that are to receive one ormore invitations to join a communication session with one or more secondcommunication devices is received by an application server component.One or more indicators of the one or more invitations to join thecommunication session are activated on the one or more firstcommunication devices. An acceptance of one or more of the one or moreinvitations by one or more of the one or more first communicationdevices is received at the application server component. The one or moreof the one or more first communication devices are connected to thecommunication session.

Yet another embodiment of the invention encompasses an article. Thearticle comprises one or more computer-readable media. The articlecomprises means in the computer-readable medium for receiving anindication of one or more first communication devices that are toreceive one or more invitations to join a communication session with oneor more second communication devices. The article comprises means in thecomputer-readable medium for activating one or more indicators of theone or more invitations to join the communication session on the one ormore first communication devices. The article comprises means in thecomputer-readable medium for receiving an acceptance of one or more ofthe one or more invitations by one or more of the one or more firstcommunication devices. The article comprises means in thecomputer-readable medium for connecting the one or more of the one ormore first communication devices to the communication session.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features of exemplary implementations of the invention will becomeapparent from the description, the claims, and the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a representation of an exemplary implementation of anapparatus that comprises one or more communication devices, one or morecall control functions, and one or more application server components.

FIG. 2 is a representation of an exemplary implementation of a messageflow illustrating an employment of invitations, acceptances, andrejections of a communication session by the application servercomponent of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a representation of an exemplary implementation of a messageflow illustrating an employment of invitations, withdrawals andcompletions of a communication session by the application servercomponent of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning to FIG. 1, an apparatus 100 in one example comprises a pluralityof components such as computer software and/or hardware components. Anumber of such components can be combined or divided in the apparatus100. An exemplary component of the apparatus 100 employs and/orcomprises a set and/or series of computer instructions written in orimplemented with any of a number of programming languages, as will beappreciated by those skilled in the art.

The apparatus 100 in one example comprises one or more communicationdevices 102, 103, and 104, one or more control components 106, and oneor more application server components 108. The apparatus 100 in oneexample comprises a telecommunications and/or computer network. One ormore users 110, 111, and 112 employ the one or more communicationdevices 102, 103, and 104 for communication. For example, the user 110employs the communication device 102 to begin a communication sessionwith one or more of the users 111 and 112 of the communication devices103 and 104.

The communication session in one example comprises a data session or avoice conference call. For example, the users 110, 111, and 112 employone or more of the communication devices 102, 103, and 104 tocommunicate in the communication session. The communication devices 102,103, and 104 in one example comprise one or more of a telephonic device,a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, and a computer. Forexample, one or more of the communication devices 102, 103, and 104comprise user equipment (“UE”). The communication device 102 in oneexample comprises initiating user equipment of one or more invitationsfor a user 112 of a communication device 104 to join the communicationsession. The communication devices 102, 103, and 104 in one examplecomprise an instance of the recordable data storage medium 114.

The users 110 and 111 of the communication devices 102 and 103 in oneexample communicate in a communication session. One or more of the users110 and 111 desire to include the user 112 of the communication device104 in the communication session. The communication device 102 in oneexample sends to the application server component 108 an indication ofthe communication device 104 that is to receive an invitation to jointhe communication session. The indication in one example comprises aphone number, an email address, or an instant message account name ofthe communication device 104 and/or the user 112. The application servercomponent 108 sends an invitation to join the communication session tothe communication device 104. The invitation in one example comprisesone or more of a phone call, a photo, and a short message service(“SMS”) message. The invitation activates one or more indicators of theinvitation on the communication device 104. The indicators in oneexample comprise one or more of an icon, a tone, and a light. Theindicators in one example serve to represent a standing invitation forthe communication device 104 to join the communication session. Forexample, the indicators persist until the communication device 104and/or the user 112 respond to the application server 108.

In one example, the communication device 104 responds to the applicationserver component 108 with an acceptance of the invitation to join thecommunication session. The acceptance in one example comprises anemployment of the one or more indicators by the communication device104. For example, the user 112 employs the communication device 104 topush a button, select a menu item, enter a voice command, or enter anSMS message to accept the invitation. The application server component108 sends a session identification of the communication session to thecontrol component 106. The session identification in one examplecomprises one or more of a telephone number and an IP address of thecommunication session. The control component 106 connects thecommunication device 104 with the communication devices 102 and 103 inthe communication session.

In another example, the communication device 104 responds to theapplication server component 108 with a rejection of the invitation tojoin the communication session. For example, the user 112 does notdesire to enter the communication session with the users 110 and 111.The application server component 108 in one example may connect thecommunication device 104 to a message service of one or more of thecommunication devices 102 and 103. For example, the communication device104 sends a notification to the one or more of the communication devices102 and 103 that the user 112 will not join the communication session.The notification in one example comprises one or more of a voicemessage, an email, a fax, an SMS message, and an instant message.

In yet another example, one or more of the communication devices 102 and103 send a withdrawal of the invitation to the application servercomponent 108 prior to a response by the communication device 104. Forexample, the communication session may come to a completion or the user112 is no longer invited to join the communication session. Theapplication server component 108 in one example may connect the one ormore of the communication devices 102 and 103 to a message service ofthe communication device 104. For example, the one or more of thecommunication devices 102 and 103 send one or more notifications to theapplication server component 108 that the invitation has been withdrawn.The notifications in one example comprise one or more of a voicemessage, an email, a fax, an SMS message, and an instant message.

The users 110, 111, and 112 employ the communication devices 102, 103,and 104 to send one or more of the indications, the invitations, thewithdrawals, and the notifications. In one example, the users 110, 111,and 112 employ a hard button to send the one or more of the indications,the invitations, the withdrawals, and the notifications. The hard buttonin one example comprises one or more of an alpha-numeric keypad and akeyboard. In another example, the users 110, 111, and 112 employ a softbutton to send the one or more of the indications, the invitations, thewithdrawals, and the notifications. The soft button in one examplecomprises one or more of an icon, a touch-screen, and an indicator. Inyet another example, the users 110, 111, and 112 employ a voice commandto send one or more of the indications, the invitations, thewithdrawals, and the notifications.

The control component 106 in one example transfers one or more of thewithdrawals, the indications, the invitations, the notifications, theacceptances, and the rejections between one or more of the communicationdevices 102, 103 and 104 and the application server component 108. Forexample, upon receipt of one or more of the acceptances, thewithdrawals, and the rejections of the invitations by the applicationserver component 108, the control component 106 in one example sends oneor more of the notifications to one or more of the communication devices102, 103, and 104. The control component 106 in one example connects oneor more of the communication devices 102, 103, and 104 to acommunication session. The control component 106 creates and/or stores asession identification of the communication session. For example, thecontrol component 106 employs the session identification to connect theone or more of the communication devices 102, 103, and 104 to thecommunication session.

The control component 106 in one example comprises a call state controlfunction (“CSCF”). In one example, where one or more of thecommunication devices 102, 103, and 104 comprise one or more of apersonal digital assistant and a computer, the control component 106comprises one or more of a gateway general packet radio service supportnode (“GGSN”) and a serving general packet radio service support node(“SGSN”). In another example, where one or more of the communicationdevices 102, 103, and 104 comprise one or more of a telephonic deviceand a mobile phone, the control component 106 comprises one or moreswitch functions. In one example, the control component 106 and theapplication server component 108 are separate components. In anotherexample, the control component 106 and the application server component108 are the same component.

The application server component 108 in one example transfers one ormore of the withdrawals, the indications, the invitations, thenotifications, the acceptances, and the rejections between thecommunication devices 102, 103, and 104 and the control component 106.For example, prior to an acceptance, a withdrawal, or a rejection of theinvitation by one or more of the communication devices 102, 103, and104, the indicators alert the user 112 of an invitation to join acommunication session. Upon one or more of the acceptance, thewithdrawal, the rejection, the completion of the communication session,the application server component 108 removes the indicator from thecommunication device 104.

Upon the one or more of the acceptance, the withdrawal, the rejection,and the completion of the communication session, the application servercomponent 108 in one example sends one or more notifications to one ormore of the control component 106 and the communication devices 102,103, and 104. Upon the rejection, the application server component 108sends the one or more notifications to one or more of the communicationdevices 102 and 103. Upon one or more of the withdrawal and thecompletion of the communication session, the application servercomponent 108 sends one or more notifications to the communicationdevices 104.

Upon the acceptance of the one or more invitations, the applicationserver component 108 sends one or more notifications to one or more ofthe communication devices 102 and 103. For example, the applicationserver component 108 matches the acceptance with the source of theindication of the invitations to determine a session identification ofthe communication session. The source in one example comprises the oneor more of the communication devices 102 and 103. The application servercomponent 108 sends the session identification to the control component106. The control component 106 connects the communication device 104with the communication session of the communication devices 102 and 103.

The application server component 108 in one example stores informationof one or more of the communication session and the communicationdevices 102, 103, and 104. For example, the application server component108 stores one or more of the session identification, the indications ofthe communication devices 104, a service subscription field, a timer, asubject of the communication session, and a communication device type.The application server component 108 in one example employs the servicesubscription field to determine the eligibility of the communicationdevices 102, 103, and 104 to utilize standing invitations. Theapplication server component 108 in one example employs the timer toalert the communication device 104 of the length of the communicationsession. The application server component 108 in one example employs thesubject to alert the communication device 104 of the topic of thecommunication session. The application server component 108 in oneexample employs the communication device type to convert between textand speech for one or more of the communication devices 102, 103, and104. The application server component 108 in one example comprise aninstance of the recordable data storage medium 114.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an illustrative description of exemplaryoperation of the apparatus 100 is now presented, for explanatorypurposes. Message flow 202 represents an exemplary employment ofinvitations, acceptances, and rejections of a communication session bythe application server component 108. For example, the applicationserver component 108 activates one or more indicators of the invitationsto join a communication session to the communication device 104. Thecommunication device 104 sends the acceptance of the invitation to theapplication server component 108. The application server component 108connects the communication device 104 to the communication session.

The communication devices 102 and 103 connect through a communicationsession 204. “ON A SESSION” in one example serves to represent thecommunication session 204. The users 110 and 111 of the communicationdevices 102 and 103 may invite another user 112 to join thecommunication session 204. “INVITE UE” in one example serves torepresent a phone call 206 to the communication device 104 from thecommunication device 102. “UE” in one example serves to represent one ormore of the communication devices 102, 104, and 106.

Upon receipt of the phone call 206, the control component 106 attemptsto contact the communication device 104. “PAGE UE” in one example servesto represent a phone call 208 to the communication device 104. Uponreceipt of the phone call 208, the communication device 104 does notrespond to the attempt at contact. “NO RESPONSE” in one example servesto represent an indication of a non-response 210 by the communicationdevice 104. Upon receipt of the indication of the non-response 210, thecontrol component 106 sends a notification 212 to the communicationdevice 102. “NOTIFY THAT UE IS BUSY” in one example serves to representthe notification 212 to alert the user 110 that the communication device104 is not available.

Upon receipt of the notification 212, one or more of the communicationdevices 102 and 103 may still want to invite the communication device104 to join the communication session 204. “REQUEST INVITE TO UE” in oneexample serves to represent an indication 214 of an invitation for thecommunication device 204 to join the communication session. Upon receiptof the indication 214, the control component 106 sends an indication 216to the application server component 108. “REQUEST INVITE TO UE” in oneexample serves to represent the indication 216 of the invitation.

Upon receipt of the indication 216, the application server component 108sends an activation 218 of the invitation to the communication device104. “SEND INVITE TO UE” in one example serves to represent theactivation 218 of the invitation. For example, the invitation causes theactivation 218 of an indicator. The indicator in one example comprisesan icon. Upon receipt of the indicator 218, the icon in one examplealerts the communication device 104 of the communication session withthe users 110 and 111. Upon receipt of the indicator of the invitation,the one or more of the communication devices 102, 103, and 104 take anaction. The action comprises one or more of an acceptance of aninvitation, a rejection of an invitation, a withdrawal of an invitation,and a completion of the communication session.

In one example, upon availability 220 of the user 112, the user 112notices the icon. “UE BECOMES AVAILABLE” in one example serves torepresent the availability 220 of the user 112. Upon the availability220 of the user 112, the user may send a response 222 of the invitationto the control component 106. For example, the response 222 comprisesthe action that occurs when the user 112 selects the icon. In oneexample “RESPOND TO INVITE” serves to represent an acceptance of theinvitation. In another example, “RESPOND TO INVITE” serves to representa rejection of the invitation. Upon receipt of the response 222, thecontrol component 106 sends a response 224 to the application servercomponent 108.

Upon the receipt of the response 224, the application server component108 makes a match between a source of the invitation with the response224 to the invitations. For example, the source comprises thecommunication device 102. The match determines a session identification226 of the communication session. “SESSION IDENTIFICATION” in oneexample serves to represent the session identification 226 of thecommunication session. Upon receipt of the session identification 226,the control component 106 sends a notification 228 of the response 224to the communication device 102. “NOTIFY THAT UE HAS RESPONDED” in oneexample serves to represent the notification 228. Where the response inone example represents the acceptance, upon receipt of the sessionidentification from the application server component 108, the controlcomponent connects the communication device 104 to a communicationsession 230. “CONF. INIT. UE and UE” in one example serves to representthe communication session 230

Turning to FIGS. 1 and 3, the communication device 102 sends aninvitation to the application server 108 for the user 112 of thecommunication device 104 to join the communication session 204 asdescribed in the message flow 202. Message flow 302 represents anexemplary employment of invitations, withdrawals and completions of acommunication session by the application server component 108. Uponreceipt of the indicator of the invitation 218, the communication device102 in one example reaches a completion of the communication session320. In one example, “SESSION ENDS OR INVITE WITHDRAWN” serves torepresent the completion of the communication session 320. For example,the action comprises the completion of the communication session 320. Inanother example, “SESSION ENDS OR INVITE WITHDRAWN” serves to representa withdrawal 320 of the invitation by one or more of the communicationdevices 102 and 103. For example, the action comprises the withdrawal320 of the invitation.

Upon the action of the communication device 104, the communicationdevice 103 sends a withdrawal 322 of the invitation. “REMOVE INVITE TOUE” in one example serves to represent the withdrawal 322 of theinvitation. Upon receipt of the withdrawal 322 of the invitation, thecontrol component 106 send a withdrawal 324 of the invitation to theapplication server component 108. “REMOVE INVITE TO UE” in one exampleserves to represent the withdrawal 324 of the invitation. Upon receiptof the withdrawal, the application server component 108 sends awithdrawal 326 of the indicator to the communication device 104. Forexample, where the indicator comprises the icon, the application servercomponent 108 removes the icon from the communication device 104.“REMOVE INVITE TO UE” in one example, serves to represent the withdrawal326 of the indicator.

The application server component 108 in one example accesses the messageservice 328 of the communication device 104. “ACCESS MESSAGE SERVICE” inone example serves to represent the message service 328. Upon access tothe message service 328, the control component 106 connects thecommunication device 103 to the message service 330. “CONNECT TO MESSAGESERVICE” in one example serves to represent the message service 330.Upon connection to the message service 328, the communication device 102sends a message 332 for the communication device 104 at the controlcomponent 106. “LEAVE MESSAGE” in one example serves to represent themessage 332.

The apparatus 100 in one example employs one or more computer readablemedia. Examples of a computer-readable medium for the apparatus 100comprise the recordable data storage medium 114 of the applicationserver 108 and the communication devices 102, 103, and 104. For example,the computer-readable medium for the apparatus 100 comprises one or moreof a magnetic, electrical, optical, biological, and atomic data storagemedium.

The steps or operations described herein are just exemplary. There maybe many variations to these steps or operations without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. For instance, the steps may be performed ina differing order, or steps may be added, deleted, or modified.

Although exemplary implementations of the invention have been depictedand described in detail herein, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe relevant art that various modifications, additions, substitutions,and the like can be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention and these are therefore considered to be within the scope ofthe invention as defined in the following claims.

1. A method, comprising the steps of: receiving an indication of one ormore first communication devices that are to receive one or moreinvitations to join a communication session with one or more secondcommunication devices, wherein the one or more invitations comprise aphoto and a short message service (SMS) message; activating one or moreindicators of the one or more invitations to join the communicationsession on the one or more first communication devices; receiving anacceptance of at least one of the one or more invitations by at leastone of the one or more first communication devices; and connecting theat least one of the one or more first communication devices to thecommunication session.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofreceiving the acceptance of the at least one of the one or moreinvitations by the one or more of the one or more first communicationdevices comprises the steps of: employing the at least one of the one ormore indicators to initiate a connection to the communication session;removing at least one of the one or more indicators from the at leastone of the one or more first communication devices; and notifying theone or more second communication devices of the acceptance of the atleast one of the one or more invitations by the at least one of the oneor more first communication devices.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinthe step of connecting the at least one of the one or more firstcommunication devices to the communication session comprises the stepsof: matching the one or more invitations with the acceptance of the atleast one of the one or more invitations; and indicating a callidentification of the communication session to one or more controlcomponents to connect the at least one of the one or more firstcommunication devices with the one or more second communication devicesin the communication session.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the atleast one of the one or more invitations comprise one or more firstinvitations of the one or more invitations, the method furthercomprising the steps of: receiving a withdrawal of a second invitationof the one or more invitations prior to receipt by the applicationserver component of an acceptance of the second invitation by acommunication device of the one or more first communication devices;removing an indicator of the one or more indicators of the secondinvitation from the communication device; and sending a notification ofthe withdrawal to the one or more first communication device.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the one or moreinvitations comprise one or more first invitations of the one or moreinvitations, the method further comprising the steps of: identifying acompletion of the communication session prior to receipt by theapplication server component of an acceptance of a second invitation bya communication device of the one or more first communication devices;removing an indicator of the one or more indicators of the secondinvitation from the communication device; and sending a notification ofthe completion of the communication session to the one or more firstcommunication device.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least oneof the one or more invitations comprise one or more first invitations ofthe one or more invitations, the method further comprising the steps of:receiving a rejection of a second invitation of the one or moreinvitations by a communication device of the one or more firstcommunication devices prior to receipt by the application servercomponent of an acceptance of the second invitation; and notifying oneor more of the one or more second communication devices of the rejectionof the second invitation.
 7. An apparatus, comprising: an applicationserver component that receives an indication of one or morecommunication devices that are to receive one or more invitations tojoin a communication session; wherein the one or more invitationscomprise a photo and a short message service (SMS) message; and whereinthe application server component notifies the one or more communicationdevices of the one or more invitations to join the communicationsession; and wherein upon acceptance of at least one of the one or moreinvitations by at least one of the one or more communication devices,the application server component connects the at least one of the one ormore communication devices to the communication session.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more communication devicescomprise one or more first communication devices; and wherein theapplication server component receives the indication of the one or morefirst communication devices from one or more second communicationdevices.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more secondcommunication devices are involved in the communication session; andwherein the application server component notifies the one or more firstcommunication devices of the one or more invitations to join thecommunication session with the one or more second communication devices.10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the application server componentidentifies a match between the one or more invitations and theacceptance of the at least one of the one or more invitations; andwherein the application server component employs the match to indicateto one or more control components a call identification of thecommunication session; and wherein the one or more control componentsemploy the call identification to connect at least one of the one ormore first communication devices to the one or more second communicationdevices in the communication session.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8,wherein the one or more first communication devices comprise acommunication device, and wherein the application server componentactivates an indicator of an invitation of the one or more invitationson the communication device, and wherein the indicator persists until anaction occurs on the invitation.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, whereinthe indicator persists on a display of the communication device, andwherein upon the acceptance of the invitation by the communicationdevice, the user of the communication device employs the indicator toinitiate a connection to the communication session; and wherein theapplication server component connects the communication device to thecommunication session.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the actioncomprises an acceptance of the invitation by the communication device;and wherein upon receipt of the acceptance of the invitation by thecommunication device, the application server component sends one or morenotifications of the acceptance of the invitation by the communicationdevice to the one or more second communication devices.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein the action comprises a withdrawal of theinvitation by at least one of the one or more second communicationdevices; and wherein prior to an acceptance of the invitation, the atleast one of the one or more second communication devices send thewithdrawal to the application server component.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein upon receipt of the withdrawal, the application servercomponent removes the indicator of the invitation from the communicationdevice.
 16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the action comprises arejection of the invitation by the communication device; and whereinprior to an acceptance of the invitation, the communication device sendsthe rejection to the application server component.
 17. The apparatus ofclaim 16, wherein upon receipt of the rejection, the application servercomponent sends one or more notifications of the rejection to the one ormore second communication devices.
 18. The apparatus of claim 11,wherein the action comprises a completion of the communication session;and wherein upon completion of the communication session prior to anacceptance of the invitation, the application server component sends anotification to the communication device of the completion of thecommunication session; and wherein the application server componentremoves the indicator of the invitation from the communication device.19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the indicator comprises an icon,a tone and a light.
 20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thecommunication session comprises a voice conference call, and whereinupon acceptance of an invitation of the one or more invitations by acommunication device of the one or more communication devices, theapplication server component connects a user of the communication deviceinto a voice conversation with one or more participants in thecommunication session.
 21. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein thecommunication session comprises a data session or a voice conferencecall.
 22. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the indication comprises aphone number, an email address or an instant message account name. 23.The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more invitations comprise aphone call, the photo, and the short message service (SMS) message. 24.A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions forperforming steps, comprising: means in the one or more media forreceiving an indication of one or more first communication devices thatare to receive one or more invitations to join a communication sessionwith one or more second communication devices, wherein the one or moreinvitations comprise a photo and a short message service (SMS) message;means in the one or more media for activating one or more indicators ofthe one or more invitations to join the communication session on the oneor more first communication devices; means in the one or more media forreceiving an acceptance of at least one of the one or more invitationsby at least one of the one or more first communication devices; andmeans in the one or more media for connecting the at least one of theone or more first communication devices to the communication session.